U.S. patent application number 10/761457 was filed with the patent office on 2004-08-05 for returnable and reusable, bag-in-drum fluid storage and dispensing container system.
Invention is credited to Wertenberger, Richard.
Application Number | 20040149348 10/761457 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29269524 |
Filed Date | 2004-08-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040149348 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wertenberger, Richard |
August 5, 2004 |
Returnable and reusable, bag-in-drum fluid storage and dispensing
container system
Abstract
A "bag-in-a-drum" container for storage and dispensing of
fluids. The container is adapted to minimize volumetric space
requirements in storage, transport and use of the container. The
containers are usefully employed in a system of supplying liquid in
containers to an end user market and refabricating containers
subsequent to consumption of the liquid from the containers.
Inventors: |
Wertenberger, Richard; (Lake
Ville, MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ATMI, INC.
7 COMMERCE DRIVE
DANBURY
CT
06810
US
|
Family ID: |
29269524 |
Appl. No.: |
10/761457 |
Filed: |
January 20, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10761457 |
Jan 20, 2004 |
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10139186 |
May 3, 2002 |
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6698619 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
141/114 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02W 30/80 20150501;
B65D 77/06 20130101; B67D 7/0261 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/114 |
International
Class: |
B65B 003/16 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A bag-in-a-drum container for storage and dispensing of liquid,
comprising a substantially rigid overpack having an interior
volume, and a 3-dimensional, closed liner of a flexible film
material, mounted in said interior volume and capable of being
filled with liquid.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein the overpack has a
substantially rectangular parallelepiped conformation.
3. The container of claim 2, wherein the overpack comprises walls
and a floor defining said substantially rectangular parallelepiped
conformation.
4. The container of claim 3, wherein the liner is formed of a
polymeric film material containing no additives capable of
introducing contaminants into liquid when contained in said
liner.
5. The container of claim 4, wherein the polymeric film material
selected from the group consisting of polyethylene,
polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane,
polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylchloride, polyacetal,
polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, and polybutylene.
6. The container of claim 5, wherein the polymeric film material
contains no additives.
7. The container of claim 6, wherein the polymeric film material
comprises a polyethylene film material.
8. The container of claim 4, wherein the liner has a zero headspace
conformation when filled with liquid.
9. The container of claim 4, wherein the liner has a thickness less
than about 0.125 inch.
10. The container of claim 4, wherein the liner has a thickness in
a range of from about 0.005 inch to about 0.030 inch.
11. The container of claim 1, wherein the liner is removable from
the overpack, and the overpack is vertically stackable with other
like containers to form a vertically stacked array comprising
multiple containers, wherein the vertically stacked array has a
height that is less than the sum of the heights of the individual
containers in the array.
12. The container of claim 11, wherein the overpack includes a
coupling member that is matably engageable with a coupling member
of a corresponding container, whereby multiple containers may be
laterally coupled with one another to constitute a laterally
extending array of containers.
13. The container of claim 4, further comprising a liquid in the
liner.
14. The container of claim 13, wherein the liner has a zero
headspace conformation.
15. The container of claim 14, wherein the liquid comprises a
reagent for semiconductor manufacturing.
16. The container of claim 15, wherein the liquid comprises a
chemical mechanical planarization composition.
17. The container of claim 15, wherein the liner further contains a
stirring element.
18. The container of claim 17, wherein the stirring element is
remotely actuatable outside of the container.
19. The container of claim 18, wherein said stirring element
comprises a magnetic stirring element.
20. The container of claim 4, wherein the overpack comprises a
receptacle portion including opposedly facing front and back walls,
and opposedly facing side walls, and a floor member, wherein said
front, back and side walls are downwardly inwardly tapered.
Description
[0001] This is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 10/139,186, filed on
May 3, 2002, now allowed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a "bag-in-a-drum" container
useful for storage and dispensing of fluids, which is adapted to
minimize volumetric space requirements in storage, transport and
use of the container. The container design in a specific embodiment
includes a removable lid and liner to allow for the cost-effective
return and reuse of the outer housing.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and in many
other industrial process applications, fluid containers are
employed as a source of process fluids. Such fluid containers may
be fabricated and filled at remote locations from the end use
facility, and are transported to the point of use by truck, rail or
air transport.
[0006] At the end use facility, the containers may be stockpiled or
maintained in inventory pending their introduction to the process
system in which the fluid is to be utilized. The fluid-using
process system may comprise fluid flow circuitry to which the
container is coupled for selective dispensing of the fluid from the
container to the process equipment of the system.
[0007] In semiconductor manufacturing and in numerous other fluid
applications, high purity of fluid reagents is essential. In such
applications, any significant fluid contamination may render the
products manufactured by the fluid-consuming process deficient or
even useless for their intended purpose. The containers used to
supply fluids to the process systems manufacturing such products
therefore must be of a character that avoids contamination issues
in the process. Specifically, the container must be rigorously
clean in condition. The container also must avoid "particle
shedding," outgassing, and any other forms of contaminant
contribution to the fluid being stored in the container from the
container's fluid-contacting components. The container further must
maintain the fluid prior to its use in a pure state, without
degradation or decomposition of the contained fluid.
[0008] In many of the aforementioned fluid-consuming manufacturing
operations, the supply, transport, storage and disposition of the
fluid containers entails substantial operating costs, as well as
related capital expense in the provision of tank farms, fluid
vessel storage vaults, and the like. There is a corresponding need
in the art to provide fluid containers that minimize these capital
and operating expenses.
[0009] Except in the case of chemical-dedicated, stainless steel
vessels for commodity chemicals such as tetraethylorthosilicate,
high purity containers typically are not refillable or reusable due
to the costs associated with the return shipment of empty
containers, the costs of cleaning the used containers to a level
that meets purity requirements, and operational difficulties
associated with the need to chemically-dedicate or
customer-dedicate refillable containers. It would therefore be a
significant advance in the art, in applications in which high
purity fluids are consumed, to provide fluid containers that are
reusable in a cost-effective and convenient manner, and to provide
an integrated supply system for repetitive use of such
containers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention relates to a bag-in-a-drum fluid
storage and dispensing container having a compact conformation for
storage, transport and use of the container, as well as to an
integrated fluid supply system utilizing containers of such
type.
[0011] In one aspect, the invention relates to a bag-in-a-drum
container for storage and dispensing of liquid, e.g., a high-purity
liquid. The container includes a substantially rigid overpack
having an interior volume, and a 3-dimensional, closed liner of a
flexible film material, mounted in the interior volume and capable
of being filled with liquid.
[0012] In a specific embodiment, the invention relates to a
bag-in-a-drum container for storage and dispensing of high-purity
liquid, including a substantially rigid overpack having an interior
volume, and a 3-dimensional, closed liner of a flexible film
material, mounted in the interior volume and capable of being
filled with liquid. The overpack comprises a substantially rigid
receptacle portion including opposedly facing front and back walls
and opposedly facing side walls, and a floor member, wherein the
front, back and side walls are downwardly tapered and the overpack
includes an upper portion that is removable or otherwise configured
to allow nested vertical stacking of at least the substantially
rigid receptacle portion of the container in a vertically stacked
array of corresponding containers. In one such embodiment, the
receptacle portion is of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped
conformation. In another such embodiment, the receptacle portion is
round with tapered sidewalls to facilite nesting. In either
embodiment, the receptacle portion includes a liner formed of a
virgin polymeric film material having a thickness in a range of
from about 0.005 inch to about 0.030 inch, and the liner has a zero
headspace conformation when filled with liquid. The liner has at
least one port accommodating coupling of the liner with a connector
for transfer of fluid into or out of the liner, and a cap coupled
with the port, with the receptacle portion being formed of a
substantially rigid polymeric material.
[0013] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method of
supplying liquid in containers to an end user market and
refabricating containers subsequent to consumption of the liquid
therefrom. The method includes the steps of:
[0014] (a) manufacturing the containers, each including an overpack
and wetted components (viz., a liner for containing the liquid,
having a port for transfer of fluid into or out of the liner, and a
cap and diptube coupled to the port);
[0015] (b) filling the containers with liquid to provide
liquid-filled containers;
[0016] (c) transporting the liquid-filled containers to end users
in the end user market, where the end users use the liquid in the
containers, and generate emptied containers;
[0017] (d) transporting at least the overpacks of the emptied
containers to a refabrication facility, and processing same to form
refabricated containers including the overpacks of the emptied
containers;
[0018] (e) transporting the refabricated containers to a liquid
fill facility and filling same with liquid to provide liquid-filled
refabricated containers; and
[0019] (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) in sequence.
[0020] In such method, the end user after generating the emptied
containers may remove the wetted components (e.g., the liner) and
simply stack the nestable overpacks in stacked arrays for transport
to the refabrication facility. Alternatively, the emptied
containers may be shipped by the end user to the refabrication
facility, and at such facility the wetted components (e.g., the
liner) can be removed and the overpacks cleaned and inspected,
followed by refabrication of the overpacks into refabricated
containers, e.g., by insertion of new liners, and installation of
new or recycled caps and diptubes.
[0021] Other aspects, features and embodiments of the invention
will be more fully apparent from the ensuing disclosure and
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fluid storage and
dispensing container according to one embodiment of the
invention.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a three-dimensional liner
according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0024] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of an array of fluid
storage and dispensing containers according to the invention, in
nested and interconnected relationship, to define an arrangement
for storage and transport of the containers.
[0025] FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of an array of overpacks of
fluid storage and dispensing containers according to the invention,
in nested relationship, to define an arrangement for storage and
transport of the nested overpack array.
[0026] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a container
manufacturing, use, refurbishing, and reuse system, according to an
illustrative specific aspect of the invention.
[0027] FIG. 6 is a generalized schematic flowchart of an integrated
fluid supply system, using fluid storage and dispensing containers
according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
THEREOF
[0028] The disclosures of the following patent applications
co-filed on the same date as the filing date of the present
application, are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their
respective entireties: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/139,185
[Docket No. 499] of Dennis Chilcote, et al. [inventor(s)] entitled
"APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MINIMIZING THE GENERATION OF PARTICLES IN
ULTRAPURE LIQUIDS;" and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/139,104
[Docket No. 522 CIP] of Kevin O'Dougherty, et al. [inventor(s)]
entitled "LIQUID HANDLING SYSTEM WITH ELECTRONIC INFORMATION
STORAGE."
[0029] The present invention in one aspect provides a fluid
container of a so-called "bag-in-a-drum" type, comprising a
flexible, resilient liner capable of holding liquid as the "bag"
component of the container, with the liner being coupled to a
generally rigid casing or housing that constitutes the "drum"
component of the container.
[0030] The fluid container of the present invention may be
variously fabricated with selected features from among those
hereinafter more fully described, to provide a fluid storage and
dispensing article that is reusable in an integrated supply system
that also is discussed more fully hereinafter, as a further aspect
of the invention.
[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fluid storage and
dispensing container 10 according to one embodiment of the
invention. The container 10 includes a flexible, resilient liner 12
capable of holding liquid, e.g., a high purity liquid (having a
purity of >99.99% by weight) in a generally rigid housing
14.
[0032] The liner 12 is a 3-dimensional, closed head liner. The
3-dimensional character of the liner means that the liner is formed
from tubular stock material, as opposed to a 2-dimensional liner
that typically is formed by heat-sealing superimposed flat sheet
stock pieces at their superimposed edges to form the liner
structure. By the use of a tubular stock, e.g., a blown tubular
polymeric film material, the heat seal welded seams along the sides
of the liner are avoided. The absence of side welded seams in turn
provides a liner that is better able to withstand forces and
pressures that tend to stress the liner and which frequently cause
the failure of seams in 2-dimensional liners. The liner of the
container of the present invention is advantageously of a closed
head character. A closed-head liner is one that has a sealed or
otherwise closed head portion, as opposed to an open head liner
that is formed with a neck opening or a port opening on the head
portion of the liner.
[0033] The present invention represents an advance in the art in
the use of a single-use, thin membrane, 3-dimensional, closed head
liner. In operation, the liner 12 is removed after each use (e.g.,
when the container is depleted of the liquid contained therein) and
replaced with a new, pre-cleaned liner to enable the reuse of the
overall container 10.
[0034] The 3-dimensional, closed head character of the liner in the
container of the present invention imparts significant durability
to the liner. For example, in conformance tests of the durability
of the liner, it was determined that the 3-dimensional, closed
liner exhibited 70-80 hours endurance, while corresponding
2-dimensional, closed liners exhibited 8-20 hours of useful
performance life. The test method involved an Over the Road
Shipment Simulation using a Lansmont Variable Frequency Vibration
Table, which was run with liquid-filled liner containers of both
types (i.e., one container holding a liquid-filled liner of the
3-dimensional, closed type, and the other container holding a
liquid-filled liner of the 2-dimensional, open head type). Failure
was defined as liquid leakage outside of the liner, and liners in
the respective containers were inspected every 8 hours for liquid
leakage. The sample sizes were the same (Sample Size 10) for the
3-dimensional liner and the 2-dimensional liner. The 3-dimensional
closed-head liquid liner contained liquid for >70 hours
(.about.80 hours typical) and the 2-dimensional closed-head liner
contained the liquid contents for <20 hours (.about.8 hours
typical).
[0035] The use of a 3-dimensional, closed-head liner in the
container of the present invention is an important feature of the
container of the present invention. To date, only 2-dimensional
closed-head liners or 3-dimensional open-head liners have been
produced, which are available only for industrial applications
where purity of the contained liquid is not critical. The prior
2-dimensional closed-head liners and 3-dimensional open-head liners
have typically been made of polymeric film material containing a
full compliment of normal plastics additives for film products.
Such conventional plastics additives include ultraviolet
stabilizers, plasticizers, antioxidants, fillers, extenders,
pigments, processing agents such as blowing or casting agents,
etc.
[0036] As a result of the conventional use of such a multiplicity
of additives in the film from which prior liners have been
produced, the film components typically have provided a source of
contaminants, as the additives leach into the liquid contained in
the liner, or are decomposed to products that have greater
diffusivity in the polymeric film and that migrate to the surface
and solubilize or otherwise become contaminants of the liquid in
the liner.
[0037] As a result, the prior 2-dimensional closed-head liners and
3-dimensional open head liners are not suitable for applications
such as semiconductor manufacturing having high purity standards
for liquid reagents, e.g., in terms of metal components and
extractables from the container material of construction.
[0038] This is remedied in the practice of the invention by
utilizing film stock for forming the liner, which is free of
plastics additives such as those mentioned above. The invention
utilizes a substantially pure film for the liner, such as virgin
(additive-free) polyethylene film, virgin polytetrafluoroethylene
(PTFE) film, or other suitable polymeric material. Illustrative of
other alternative film materials are polypropylene, polyurethane,
polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinylchloride, polyacetal,
polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, polybutylene, etc.
[0039] At present, virgin polymeric materials are utilized only for
rigid containers, e.g., those having a wall thickness on the order
of 0.125 inch to about 0.25 inch or even greater thickness
dimensions. The film utilized in the liner of the present invention
is less than such thicknesses. For example, the thickness of the
film material constituting the liner in the container of the
invention is advantageously in a range from about 5 mils (0.005
inch) to about 30 mils (0.030 inch), as for example a thickness of
20 mils (0.020 inch).
[0040] The 3-dimensional, closed head liner may be formed in a
suitable manner, but preferably is manufactured using tubular low
molding of the liner with formation of an integral fill opening at
an upper end of the vessel, which may, as shown in FIG. 1, be
joined to a port or cap structure 28. The liner thus may have an
opening for coupling of the liner to suitable connector means for
fill or dispense operations involving respective introduction or
discharge of fluid. The cap joined to the liner port may be
manually removable and may be variously configured, as regards the
specific structure of the liner port and cap. The cap also may be
arranged to couple with a diptube for introduction or dispensing of
fluid in any suitable coupling manner.
[0041] The liner 12 of the container thus has a 3-dimensional, form
fit shape, and is formed of a flexible film material such as virgin
polyethylene, which is processable without the requirement of
co-extrusion or barrier layers. The film contains no pigments, UV
inhibitors or processing agents or other components that adversely
affect the purity requirements for the liquid contained in the
liner during use of the container for liquid storage and
dispensing.
[0042] The liner 12 includes 2 ports in the top of the liner, as
shown in FIG. 1. The liner is disposed in a substantially rigid
housing or overpack 14, which is of a generally rectangular
parallepiped shape, including a lower receptacle portion 16 for
containing the liner 12 therein, and an upper stacking and
transport handling section 18. The stacking and transport handling
section 18 includes opposedly facing front and rear walls 20A and
20C, respectively, and opposedly facing side walls 20B and 20D, as
illustrated. The opposedly facing side walls 20B and 20D have
respective manual handling openings 22 and 24, respectively, to
enable the container to be manually grasped, and physically lifted
or otherwise transported in use of the container.
[0043] The lower receptacle portion 16 of the generally rigid
housing 14 is as shown slightly tapered by an angle .alpha.
relative to the vertical. The rigid housing 14 may be rectangular
(e.g., square) or round in (cross-sectional) shape. In the FIG. 1
view, the taper angle .alpha. is measured as the included angle
between the plane of the tapered wall surface, and the plane
containing the vertical wall surface of the upper stacking and
transport handling section 18 (or otherwise parallel to the central
vertical axis of the container). All of the four walls of the lower
receptacle portion 16 are downwardly inwardly tapered, to enable
the stacking of the containers for storage and transport, as
hereinafter more fully described.
[0044] The generally rigid housing 14 also includes an overpack lid
26, which is leak-tightly joined to the walls of the housing 14, to
bound an interior space in the housing 14 containing the liner 12,
as shown.
[0045] The liner has two rigid ports, including a main top port
coupling to the cap 28 and arranged to accommodate passage
therethrough of the dip tube 36 for dispensing of the liquid. The
dip tube 36 is part of the dispensing assembly including the dip
tube, dispensing head 34, coupling 38 and liquid dispensing tube
40. The dispensing assembly also includes a gas fill tube 44 joined
to dispensing head 34 by coupling 42 and communicating with a
passage 43 in the dispensing head which is leak-tightly couplable
to the interior volume port 30 in the overpack lid 26, to
accommodate introduction of a gas for exerting pressure against
liner 12 in the dispensing operation, so that liquid contained in
liner 12 is forced from the liner through the interior passage of
the hollow dip tube 36 and through the dispensing assembly to the
liquid dispensing tube 40.
[0046] The liner 12 thus is formed of a film material of sufficient
thickness to be flexible and collapsible in character. In one
preferred aspect, the liner is compressible to about 10% or less of
the rated fill volume, i.e., the volume of liquid able to be
contained in the liner when same is fully filled in the housing 14.
Preferred liner materials thus are sufficiently pliable to allow
for folding or compressing of the liner during shipment as a
replacement unit. The liner preferably is of a composition and
character that particle formation is suppressed when liquid is
contained in the liner, and maintained at sufficiently low levels
to accommodate purity requirements for semiconductor manufacturing
and other high purity-critical liquid supply applications.
[0047] For semiconductor manufacturing applications, the liquid
contained in the liner 12 of the container 10 should have less than
75 particles/milliliter for particles having a diameter of 0.25
microns, at the point of fill of the liner, and the liner should
have less than 30 parts per billion total organic components (TOC)
in the liquid, with less than 10 parts per trillion metal
extractable levels per critical elements, such as calcium, cobalt,
copper, chromium, iron, molybdenum, manganese, sodium, nickel, and
tungsten, and with less than 150 parts per trillion iron and copper
extractable levels per element for liner containment of hydrogen
fluoride, hydrogen peroxide and ammonium hydroxide, consistent with
the specifications set out in the Semiconductor Industry
Association, International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
(SIA, ITRS) 1999 Edition.
[0048] The liner and container should be fabricated to accommodate
an integrity rating of three thousand miles highway transportation
liner integrity, with a preferred performance level of no more than
two failures/100,000 liner packages.
[0049] The liner 12 of the FIG. 1 container contains in its
interior space a metal pellet 45, as illustrated, to aid in
non-invasive magnetic stirring of the liquid contents, as an
optional feature. The magnetic stirring pellet 45 may be of a
conventional type as used in laboratory operations, and may be
utilized with an appropriate magnetic field-exerting table, so that
the container can, when reposed on the table with the liner filled
with liquid, be stirred, to render the liquid homogeneous and
resistant to settling. Further, such magnetic stirring capability
may be employed to resolubilize components of the liquid subsequent
to transit of the liquid under conditions promoting precipitation
or phase separation of the liquid contents. The stirring element
being remotely actuatable in such manner has the advantage that no
invasive introduction of mixing means to the interior sealed liner
is necessary.
[0050] The liner 12 is suitably constructed so that when filled
with liquid, there is a zero-head space in the interior volume of
the liner, as more fully disclosed in the aforementioned U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 10/139,185 [Docket No. 499] of Dennis
Chilcote, et al. [inventor(s)] entitled "APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR
MINIMIZING THE GENERATION OF PARTICLES IN ULTRAPURE LIQUIDS" the
disclosure of which hereby is incorporated herein by reference in
its entirety.
[0051] By eliminating a gas/liquid (e.g., air/liquid) interface
within the liner, particle generation is unexpectedly suppressed to
very low levels, as described in such co-pending application, and
exemplified more fully hereinafter. Further, such zero-head space
liner conformation and capability enables full filling of the liner
interior volume with liquid, thereby maximizing the capacity of the
liner and associated container.
[0052] Thus, when the liner 12 is filled with liquid, there is
probably no gas/liquid interface in the interior volume of the
liner. It will be recognized that the port 30 in deck 26 of the
housing 14 may be couplable with a rigid port on the liner, so that
the liner is fabricated with two ports, or alternatively the liner
may be fabricated so that it is ventable using a single port
configuration, as described more fully in the aforementioned
co-pending application Ser. No. 10/139,185 [Docket No. 499].
[0053] Deck 26 of the housing 14 may be formed of a same generally
rigid material as the remaining structural components of the
housing, such as polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene,
polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinylidene chloride,
polyvinylchloride, polyacetal, polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, and
polybutylene.
[0054] As a further optional modification of the container 10, a
radio frequency identification tag 32 may be provided on the liner,
for the purpose of providing information relating to the contained
liquid and/or its intended usage, as more fully described in the
aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/139,104 [Docket
No. 522 CIP] of Kevin O'Dougherty, et al. [inventor(s)] entitled
"LIQUID HANDLING SYSTEM WITH ELECTRONIC INFORMATION STORAGE," the
disclosure which hereby is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety. The radio frequency identification tag may be arranged to
provide information via a radio frequency transponder and receiver
to a user or technician who can thereby ascertain the condition of
the liquid in the container, its identity, source, age, intended
use location and process, etc. In lieu of a radio frequency
identification device, other information storage means may be
employed, which is readable, and/or transmittable, by remote
sensing means, such as a hand-held scanner, computer equipped with
receiver means, etc.
[0055] In the FIG. 1 container the liner 12 serves as an expandable
bladder inside the supporting rigid shell of housing 14. The
expandable bladder-like liner eliminates the air/liquid interface
while maintaining the ability of the liquid to expand due to
temperature changes. Traditional rigid wall packaging must have air
in the head space to allow for expansion of the liquid due to
temperature increases. In this manner, the container of the present
invention achieves a significant advance in the art, involving no
air/liquid contact, thereby preventing or at least minimizing
particle formation and agglomeration of particles that
deleteriously impact the semiconductor manufacturing operation,
when the liquid dispensed to a semiconductor manufacturing tool or
process operation contains particulates.
[0056] In the dispensing operation involving the container 10 shown
in FIG. 1, air or other gas (nitrogen, argon, etc.) may be
introduced into tube 44 and through port 30 of lid 26, to exert
pressure on the exterior surface of the liner, causing it to
contract and force liquid through the dip tube 36 and dispensing
assembly to liquid dispensing tube 40.
[0057] Correspondingly, air may be displaced from the interior
volume of housing 14 through port 30, thereby flowing through the
passage 43 in dispensing head 34 to tube 44 during the filling
operation, so that air is displaced as the liner expands during the
liquid fill thereof.
[0058] The lower portion 16 of housing 14 may have tapered walls
whose taper angle .alpha. is less than 15.degree., e.g., an angle
between about 2 and 12.degree., sufficient to retain the generally
parallepiped geometry of the housing, while allowing the container
to be stacked in multiple container arrays, as shown in FIG. 3,
described more fully hereinafter.
[0059] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a three-dimensional,
closed-head liner 60 according to one embodiment of the invention.
The liner 60 includes a main bag body 62 formed of a blown tubular
film material, such as polyethylene film. At its upper end, the
main bag body 62 is joined to the head member 64 in a leak-tight
fashion to provide the bag structure of the liner. The head member
64 has a central port opening 66 in the embodiment shown, in which
may be disposed a cap or closure member, and a diptube for liquid
dispensing from the liner when the liner is mounted in the overpack
and arranged for liquid dispensing operation.
[0060] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an array 100 of
stacked and nested containers 102, 104, 106, 108, 110 and 112, in
which the respective stacks 102, 106 and 110, shown on the
left-hand portion of FIG. 2, and the vertical stack of containers
104, 108 and 112 on the right-hand portion of the figure, are
vertically nested, with the lower tapered housing portion of each
overlying container reposing in the upper cavity of the
next-adjacent underlying container. Further, the respective
containers have their upper portions equipped with intercouplable
connectors 120 which are disconnectably connectable to one another
to form a connected coupling 122, as shown with reference to
laterally adjacent containers 106 and 108, and laterally adjacent
containers 110 and 112. In such manner, the multiple containers may
be laterally coupled with one another to constitute a laterally
extending array of containers.
[0061] It will be recognized that the rectangular parallepiped
conformation of the housing 14 in the container of the invention
enables vertical stacking of the containers as well as lateral
abutment of containers in laterally extending rows, whereby the
containers enable an extremely efficient use of storage volume
allocated to holding the fluid containers. For example, a container
according to the invention, having a parallelepiped conformation,
and a rated capacity of 300 liters of liquid, can be placed in the
space constraints allocated to a traditional 200 liter drum.
[0062] In other words, the geometric form factor associated with
the containers in the present invention enable a 50% increase in
the liquid capacity of a given volumetric storage/transport
facility. This in turn enables the liquid reagent storage space in
a semiconductor manufacturing facility to be reduced, thereby
correspondingly lowering the capital investment and operating
expenses (e.g., utility costs) associated with the storage vault,
tank farm or other container repository.
[0063] Alternatively, with a same-sized special volume allocated to
fluid containers, substantially more capacity is enabled as regards
the total liquid inventory in the containers, which in turn
translates to less frequent change-outs of the inventory in terms
of number of containers involved, less frequent shipments of
containers for a truck or shipping container of a given size, and
the amenability, by virtue of the vertical nesting capability, to
utilize relatively tall stacks of containers in relation to
conventional drums.
[0064] When vertically stacked with other like containers, as shown
in FIG. 3, the height of the stack is less than the sum of the
heights of the individual containers in the vertical stack. In one
embodiment, the deck or lid of the container may be removed, and
the container receptacle portions may be vertically stacked and
nested with one another to form a vertically stacked array of
relatively low height, e.g., substantially less than the sum of the
heights of the individual containers in the vertically stacked
array.
[0065] It will be recognized that the containers in the array
illustrated in FIG. 3 are arranged with the lower end of the
containers in the upper rows reposed on the cap/deck structure of
the next lower containers vertically aligned therewith. The deck
(see FIG. 1) may be arranged to fit into slots in the overpack
interior structure, or to engage retention protrusions or detent
elements on the inner surface of the overpack's upper portion, so
that the deck overlies the head (see FIG. 2) of the liner and is in
close proximity thereto.
[0066] Alternatively, containers of the type shown in FIG. 3 may be
arranged after being emptied of liquid in use, with the deck
members being removed, along with the liners and other wetted
components, so that the containers are closely nestable with one
another.
[0067] Although the fluid storage and dispensing containers in the
broad practice of the invention advantageously have a
parallelepiped conformation, as shown in FIG. 1, by virtue of a
rectangular or cubic geometry of the overpack, the overpack size,
shape and conformation may be of any suitable type.
[0068] For example, FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of an array
160 of overpacks 162, 164, 166, 168, 170 and 172 of fluid storage
and dispensing containers according to the invention, in nested
relationship, to define an arrangement for storage and transport of
the nested overpack array. The overpacks illustrated have generally
cylindrical shapes, with circular cross-sections transverse to the
vertical axis of the associated overpack. The overpacks illustrated
in FIG. 4 have generally cylindrical collar portions at their upper
ends, with a downwardly and inwardly tapering body. By such
arrangement, the overpacks can be vertically stacked in arrays such
as that shown, to facilitate their shipment to refabrication
facilities after use and removal of the liner and other wetted
components from the overpack.
[0069] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a container
manufacturing, use, refurbishing and re-use system, according to a
further aspect of the invention.
[0070] As depicted in FIG. 5, the container according to the
invention, which may be of the general type shown in FIG. 1, is
manufactured in a centralized manufacturing facility 200, which
produces all wetted components of the container, including the
liner, dip tube and cap, such components being assembled with the
generally rigid housing (overpack) to constitute the container.
From the manufacturing facility, the originally manufactured
container is sent to the chemical supplier 208, which fills the
liner of each container with the required chemical liquid. The
completed liquid containers then are shipped, e.g., by truck 210 or
alternatively rail, air, or marine vessel, to the end user 212. The
end user may be of any suitable type, as for example a
semiconductor device manufacturer in whose facility the liquid
containers are joined to flow circuitry coupled to semiconductor
manufacturing tools, for use of the dispensed liquid in the
semiconductor manufacturing process.
[0071] Regardless of the specific character of the end use
operation, the end user utilizes the container to selectively
dispense liquid in its operations. The liquid is progressively, and
finally completely, dispensed from the vessel, producing an emptied
liner container. The end user then may remove the overpack lid from
the container, in order to remove the liner for disposal and to
nest the overpacks for return shipment. Overpacks are nested to
minimize freight costs. The end user then contacts a regional
platform operator 204, who coordinates the pick-up of the
broken-down (dissembled to produce the overpack as a separate
element from the previously assembled container) and nested
containers.
[0072] The regional platform operator then reconditions the used
containers by replacing all wetted components and reinstalling the
lid into the overpack to produce a refabricated container.
Specifically, the housing 14 (see FIG. 1) is cleaned and inspected,
e.g., involving wash and leak testing operations, and wetted
components are replaced to complete the refabricated container. The
wetted components may be new or alternatively may be recycled
components.
[0073] The regional platform operator 204 then ships the
refabricated container by truck 206 or other mode of transportation
(e.g., rail car, air freight, or marine transshipment) to chemical
supplier 208, who fills the refabricated containers with liquid to
begin the cycle of operation again.
[0074] Concerning the wetted components of the container (e.g.,
liner, dip tube and cap), the same may be processed in any of
various manners, depending on the characteristics of the
fabrication/fill/use/refabricatio- n cycle of the container. For
example, the wetted components may be produced as disposable
components (formed of a biodegradable or recyclable polymeric film
material), which are removed from the container assembly, and
disposed of or recycled, by the end user. The end user may
collected the liner components, caps and diptubes, etc. and provide
them to the regional platform operator at the time of pick-up of
the nested overpacks deriving from the emptied containers, for
further processing, use or other disposition by the regional
platform operator.
[0075] Alternatively, the end user could simply furnish the emptied
containers to the regional platform operator in their assembled
form, whereby the regional platform operator can disassemble the
containers, and clean the overpacks as well as other potentially
other components of the containers for reuse, in refabricating
containers. Thus, the liner, dip tube and cap can be removed from
the emptied container by the end user, or alternatively by the
regional platform operator, or by the transporter who ships the
containers from the end user's facility to the regional platform
operator's facility. The liner may be incinerated (or otherwise
disposed of) or recycled, as necessary or desired in a given
application of the invention. The dip tubes and caps of the
containers likewise may be disposed of or recycled, but in
preferred practice are recycled.
[0076] Accordingly, the invention contemplates a method of
supplying liquid in containers to an end user market and
refabricating containers subsequent to consumption of the liquid
therefrom, including the steps of:
[0077] (a) manufacturing the containers, each including an overpack
and wetted components (viz., a liner for containing the liquid,
having a port for transfer of fluid into or out of the liner, and a
cap and diptube coupled to the port);
[0078] (b) filling the containers with liquid to provide
liquid-filled containers;
[0079] (d) transporting the liquid-filled containers to end users
in the end user market, where the end users use the liquid in the
containers, and generate emptied containers;
[0080] (g) transporting at least the overpacks of the emptied
containers to a refabrication facility, and processing same to form
refabricated containers including the overpacks of the emptied
containers;
[0081] (h) transporting the refabricated containers to a liquid
fill facility and filling same with liquid to provide liquid-filled
refabricated containers; and
[0082] (i) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) in sequence.
[0083] The recycled wetted components may be the caps and diptubes
of the containers, with the refabricated containers using new
disposable liners, or the recycled wetted components alternatively
may be all three components (liner, cap and diptube).
[0084] In this method of supplying liquid in containers to an end
user market and refabricating containers subsequent to consumption
of the contained liquid, the liquid fill facility and the
refabrication facility can be integrated operations of a single
location enterprise, or they can be geographically separated
operations. The end use of the liquid supplied in the containers
may be semiconductor manufacturing, or other process application.
In the case of semiconductor manufacturing operations, the liquids
supplied to the end user in the containers may be of widely varying
types, including for example semiconductor manufacturing reagents
such as acids, solvents, bases, photoresists, dopants, metalorganic
reagents, silicon source compounds, and chemical mechanical
planarization (CMP) compositions.
[0085] By the methodology depicted in FIG. 5 of reusing and
refabricating container housings, and recycling dip tubes, caps and
optionally liners of the container, a substantial benefit in cost
of chemical reagents is realized, in addition to environmental
benefits associated with reduced levels of disposables for chemical
reagents, and the ability to provide localized container
refurbishing operations in geographic proximity to end users, so
that a local or regional operation is economically facilitated.
[0086] FIG. 6 is a generalized schematic flowchart of an integrated
fluid supply system 300, using fluid storage and dispensing
containers according to the invention.
[0087] In the FIG. 6 flowchart, the container manufacturing
facility 302 manufactures the container. The facility may be an
original equipment manufacturing facility, or an assembly plant in
which the overpacks, liners, caps, diptubes, deck members, etc.,
sourced from different suppliers, are constructed into the finished
containers. In any event, the finished container then is
transported (by transport means schematically indicated by arrow
306) to the fill facility 304.
[0088] In the fill facility 304, the containers are filled with the
fluid or other material to be dispensed in use of the containers.
The fluid may for example be a liquid chemical reagent for an
industrial process application. The fill facility 304 may be
consolidated with the container manufacturing facility 302 in a
unitary container manufacturing and fill facility 308 as
represented in dotted outline in FIG. 6. In such consolidated
facility 308, the transport means 306 may include a conveyor belt,
forklift, assembly line cable, manually moveable bin, dolly or
other local transport means, rather than transport means such as
rail, aircraft, trucking, marine shipping or other long-haul
transport means as used when the container manufacturing facility
302 and the fill facility 304 are not in geographic proximity to
one another.
[0089] Once the containers are filled in the fill facility 304,
they are transported by transport means schematically depicted by
arrow 310 (which means may comprise the transport craft or vehicles
previously discussed herein) to the end user 312. The end user may
comprise an industrial process, manufacturing process facility, or
other locus or application, in which the container holding liquid
in the liner is utilized as a supply vessel for the liquid, from
which the liquid is selectively dispensed for its ultimate use.
[0090] The end user 312 may after emptying the container of its
liquid inventory transport the empty container, by transport means
schematically represented in FIG. 6 by arrow 314 to a disassembly
location 316, in which the container is disassembled. The liner
then is removed from the overpack of the container and discarded,
and the overpack structures from multiple emptied and disassembled
containers may be stacked for transport. The stacked overpacks are
transported by transport means, represented schematically by arrow
318 in FIG. 6, to the refabrication facility 322.
[0091] Alternatively, the end user 312 may in lieu of disassembling
the container at the disassembly location 316, transport the empty
but still assembled container by transport means schematically
represented in FIG. 6 by arrow 320, to the refabrication facility
322. As a still further alternative, the container may be only
partially disassembled and then shipped or otherwise transported to
the refabrication facility 322.
[0092] The refabrication facility 322 may therefore receive the at
least partial containers for the refabrication processing, in which
the overpacks are cleaned, inspected, and then constructed,
together with wettable components, into remanufactured containers
suitable for new use. The refabrication facility 322 may be
constituted as a refabrication facility for the containers, and a
disposal or reclaiming facility for wettable components of
previously used containers. Thus, as mentioned, the liners of used
containers may be incinerated or otherwise be disposed of, or the
liners may be cleaned and then used as recycle stock for blow
molding of new liners. The diptubes and caps may be cleaned and
sterilized, and subsequently be introduced to the fabrication
process to form refabricated containers.
[0093] In any event, the finally refabricated container then may be
transported by transport means schematically represented in FIG. 6
by arrow 326 to the fill facility 304 for filling of the liner of
the container with fresh fluid to be stored in and dispensed from
the container. Alternatively, the refabricated container may be
transported by transport means schematically represented in FIG. 6
by arrow 324 directly to the end user 312, if the refabrication
facility also incorporates fluid fill capability, as for example a
liquid fill station in the refabrication plant.
[0094] It will therefore be appreciated that the containers of the
invention are of a form that readily enables their manufacturing,
filling, use and refabrication, as part of a distribution and
reclaiming network that can be variously implemented to link
manufacturers, material suppliers, material users, shippers, and
reclaiming facilities in an integrated manner, e.g., for achieving
economies of scale and minimizing environmental impact of materials
such as semiconductor manufacturing liquid chemicals.
[0095] It will also be recognized that the container illustratively
shown in FIG. 1 may be variously modified, as regards to the
structural features, components and means and methods of filling
and dispensing. For example, in place of a radio frequency
identification tag 32, such as microelectronic read-write element,
other types of microcircuitry, e.g., "smart chips," may be embedded
in the housing 14 rather than the liner, or may be positioned on a
surface of the liner or the housing. For example, a chip or
microelectronic tag may be mounted on or embedded in the deck 26
overlying the liner for monitoring of liquid level, temperature,
etc., or such chip or tag may be mounted on or embedded in one of
the side walls, or alternatively the floor of the housing 14.
[0096] The containers may be laterally coupled with one another by
any suitable interconnection means, such as hook and loop
fasteners, mechanical fasteners, belting or lapping structures,
etc. Further, the upper portion of the housing may be provided with
locking structure on the cap or deck that is complimentarily
matable with corresponding coupling structure on the bottom surface
of the housing floor. For such purpose, the floor may be concavely
molded or otherwise formed, so as to enable such interconnection,
so that a vertically stacked array of the containers is rigidified
and rendered structurally stable even when stacked to very high
heights.
[0097] In another embodiment, the upper portion of the housing 14
may include a removable deck or lid 26, so that nesting is
accommodated with substantial penetration of an overlying container
tapered portion into an underlying container interior volume, such
that additional stabilization is not necessary for the stacked
array, or so that a multiple housing stack can be secured for
shipment or storage as a unitary body due to the deeply nested
character of the constituent housing units. Nesting of the
container housings results in a proportional reduction in return
freight costs of the emptied containers.
[0098] The container of the invention is of particular utility for
storage and dispensing of compositions for chemical mechanical
planarization (CMP), especially when the zero headspace
configuration of the container is employed. CMP compositions are
adversely affected by the presence of air and
entrainment/solubilization of air in the composition, which causes
a high extent of agglomeration of particles from the slurry or
suspension of the composition, and adversely affects the utility of
the composition for effective polishing and planarization of
microelectronic device structures. By use of the zero headspace
conformation of the container, the air/liquid interface is
correspondingly eliminated, and the adverse effect of air in
promoting particle formation is avoided.
[0099] The features and advantages of the invention are more fully
shown with respect to the following example, which is not to be
limitingly construed, as regards to the character and scope of the
present invention, but is intended merely to illustrate a specific
preferred aspect useful in the broad practice of the present
invention.
EXAMPLE 1
[0100] From the same lot of Oxide Slurry OS-70KL material (ATMI
Materials Lifecycle Solutions, Danbury, Conn.) several different
sample vials were made up, containing the OS-70KL material, to
simulate behavior of the liquid in a bag in a drum container of the
type generally shown and described with reference to FIG. 1, with
varying headspace in the interior volume of the liner.
[0101] The sample vials were made up with the following differing
headspace levels: 0%, 2%, 5% and 10%. Each of the sample vials was
vigorously shaken for one minute by hand, and the liquid in the
vial was then subjected to analysis in an Accusizer 780 Single
Particle Optical Sizer, a size range particle counter commercially
available from Sci-Tec Inc. (Santa Barbara, Calif.), which obtains
particle counts in particle size ranges that can then be "binned"
algorithmically into broad particle distributions.
[0102] The data obtained in this experiment are shown in Table 1
below. The particle counts are shown for each of the particle sizes
0.57 .mu.m, 0.98 .mu.m, 1.98 .mu.m and 9.99 .mu.m, at the various
headspace percentage values of 0%, 2%, 5% and 10% headspace volume
(expressed as a percentage of the total interior volume occupied by
the air volume above the liquid constituting the headspace void
volume).
1TABLE 1 Size Range Particle Counts for Varying Headspace Volumes
in Sample Vials Initial Average Particle Particle Particle Particle
Particle Particle Size Count Before Count - 0% Count - 2% Count -
5% Count - 10% for Range Shaking Headspace Headspace Headspace
Headspace Size Range Particle Counts Immediately After Shaking Vial
for One Minute 0.57 .mu.m 170,617 609,991 134,582 144,703 159,082
0.98 .mu.m 13,726 14,836 22,096 20,294 26,429 1.98 .mu.m 2,704
2,900 5,298 4,397 6,293 9.98 .mu.m 296 321 469 453 529 Size Range
Particle Counts 24 Hours After Shaking Vial for One Minute 0.57
.mu.m 110,771 1,198,296 191,188 186,847 182,217 0.98 .mu.m 11,720
18,137 21,349 20,296 24,472 1.98 .mu.m 2,701 2,383 4,658 4,272
5,704 9.98 .mu.m 138 273 544 736 571
[0103] The particle size analyzer presented the data in terms of
large-size particle counts, in units of particles per
milliliter>a specific particle size in micrometers (.mu.m). The
particle count data has been determined to provide a direct
correlation between the magnitude of the particle count and wafer
defectivity when the reagent containing such particle concentration
is employed for manufacturing microelectronic devices on
semiconductor wafers.
[0104] The data taken immediately after the shaking experiment show
some trending toward larger particle counts with increasing
headspace values, particularly for particles .gtoreq.0.98 .mu.m.
Data taken 24 hours later show the same trending toward higher
particle distributions.
[0105] The data show that increasing headspace in the vial produced
increasing aggregations of large size particles, which are
deleterious in semiconductor manufacturing applications and can
ruin integrated circuitry or render devices formed on the wafer
grossly deficient for their intended purpose.
[0106] As applied to bag in a drum containers of the type shown and
described with respect to FIG. 1 hereof, the results of this
Example indicate the value of the preferred zero headspace
arrangement. Any significant headspace in the container holding
high purity liquid, combined with movement of the container
incident to its transport, producing corresponding movement, e.g.,
sloshing, of the contained liquid, will produce undesirable
particle concentrations. Therefore, to minimize the formation of
particles in the contained liquid, the headspace should be
correspondingly minimized to as close to a zero headspace condition
as possible.
[0107] In a preferred illustrative embodiment, the container of the
invention may comprise a 300 liter liquid capacity liner of a
3-dimensional form fit shape, blow molded from virgin polyethylene
containing no pigments, UV inhibitors or other processing agents or
additives, with a film thickness of the virgin polyethylene in a
range of 0.018 to 0.025 inch thickness. The liner has two rigid
ports in the top of the liner. The ports are configured to lock the
liner into the overpack lid, hold the diptube and engage with the
dispense connector that is coupled to the container for dispensing
of the liquid. The liner can include one or two port openings.
[0108] The liner is of a pliable character, being compressible to
10% of its rated fill volume, to enable folding or compressing the
liner for shipment as a replacement unit for refurbishing the
container after a preceding use, as described hereinabove in
connection with FIG. 3 hereof. The liner is designed and
constructed to eliminate the headspace after filling of the liner
with liquid.
[0109] The outer, substantially rigid housing, or overpack, of the
container in such preferred embodiment is 39 inches (990 mm) in
height, and 23.25 inches (590 mm) in width, as maximum dimensions.
The overpack is of an open head design, and is formed of
polyethylene, having a custom lid with the capability to include
one or two ports. The minimum wall thickness of the overpack is
0.197 inch (5 mm). The overpack drum body is nestable, without the
top portion of the overpack, and can be vertically stacked to a
height of 10 units, equivalent to the height of two non-nested
units. The containers are stackable to a height of three units
after filling. The container may optionally employ an integral
chime design, to eliminate the potential for the chime to come off
during container handling, with drain holes in the top chime.
[0110] The container closure elements are 2-inch diameter caps,
with a protective overcap to provide for a tamper evidence feature,
and to prevent contamination of the hermetic seal plug of the
container. The closure may optionally be vented, as well as being
non-threaded, and may utilize integral quick connect members on the
container to accommodate closure of the container contents.
[0111] The diptube of the container is formed of polyethylene or
PTFE. A reusable read/write chip is integrated into the overpack or
lid of the container. The read/write capability is used to track
and identify the overpack chemical type(s), number of fill cycles,
chemical fillers and end users and to provide inventory management
capabilities such as auto-updating of a monitoring system with
container status, total number of units onsite and available number
of units by status level (e.g., received, broken down, cleaned and
refurbished).
[0112] Connectors used to interface the container for fill and
dispensing may be threaded or non-threaded in character, and may
utilize quick-connect couplings, and may utilize integral shut-off
arrangements at the container to prevent introduction of extraneous
materials into the container without a specific fill connector. The
connector may be coded with key codes to ensure proper coupling to
a fill or dispense connector.
[0113] Although the invention has been variously disclosed herein
with reference to illustrative embodiments and features, it will be
appreciated that the embodiments and features described hereinabove
are not intended to limit the invention, and that other variations,
modifications and other embodiments will suggest themselves to
those of ordinary skill in the art. The invention therefore is to
be broadly construed, consistent with the claims hereafter set
forth.
* * * * *